Federspiel faces Campbell tag team in race for Saginaw County, Michigan, sheriff

William L. Federspiel knows the fight isn't over yet. He scored one huge victory, but another bout remains.

The Saginaw County sheriff's candidate pulled off perhaps the August primary's biggest county upset when he defeated Democratic rival and 10-year incumbent Charles L. Brown.

Now he's gearing up for the next opponent: Republican Kevin Campbell, a 52-year-old St. Charles resident who shares one of Brown's strengths -- experience with the Sheriff's Department -- without the baggage a decade-long term can include.

Federspiel said he isn't mistaking August's momentum for an automatic victory in the Tuesday, Nov. 4, general election.

"I'm looking at Campbell the same way I looked at Brown," Federspiel said. "I don't plan on overlooking him."

Campbell has planned a tag-team campaign against his opponent since naming his choice of undersheriff: Dennis D. McMahan, who once was Federspiel's commanding officer in the Saginaw Township Police Department.

"I think we're on even ground right now," said Campbell, who wants to return to the Sheriff's Department he served for 25 years. "I really do. We're going to see if we can do what he did (in August)."

Campbell said he would provide experience -- he served as a deputy until 2002, working under three sheriffs -- while McMahan would offer budget experience because of his duties as a Hemlock Board of Education member.

McMahan, a 58-year-old Thomas Township resident, played various roles on Saginaw Township's police force before retiring after 27 years in 2003.

"It's a team effort," McMahan said.

Federspiel said he has an undersheriff in mind but won't reveal the pick.

"If (voters) trust in me, I know they will trust in my undersheriff," he said. "I want this to be about me."

The 40-year-old Saginaw resident said he has his hands full in trying to get elected -- but that's nothing new.

During his campaign against Brown, Federspiel said he had to court votes before and after working 40-hour weeks as an officer, whereas the sheriff "was campaigning while he was working."

With Campbell and McMahan retired, Federspiel expects a similar challenge this time around.

A potential third candidate could complicate matters further.

Brown, who lost 9,463 to 8,135 to Federspiel, has hinted he may run as a write-in candidate.

The sheriff has until 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, to make the decision. He would not comment on his plans.

Brown and Federspiel traded jabs before the primaries. The sheriff criticized his opponent's lack of command experience while Federspiel pointed out Brown's administration was responsible for the "naked detention" lawsuits.

In 2001, 74 former jail inmates started suing in federal court over a submission-by-degradation practice. Some have settled, while others may yet go to trial. Saginaw County taxpayers could pay as much as $1.15 million to plaintiffs and for attorney costs.

Brown contends the practice of stripping unruly prisoners and holding them in detention cells began before he took office.

The Democratic opponents also squabbled over the sheriff's orders to prevent people -- including Federspiel's campaign manager, Robert X. Karl -- from entering the Saginaw County Governmental Center wearing Federspiel campaign shirts.

Federspiel said he and Brown have yet to speak since the primary.

So far, the Federspiel vs. Campbell bout hasn't featured such heated discourse.

"We respect each other," Federspiel said.

Both have their own ideas on how to run the department.

Federspiel said his plans for running the sheriff's office haven't changed over the months.

The 21-year law enforcement veteran wants to take a hands-on approach, driving in the unit's "oldest" police car and responding to crime scenes when available.

Federspiel said he would borrow policies proven in other sheriff's departments and implement them in Saginaw, then provide training for his staff.

"The first thing I will do is create sound policies that protect the rights of the employees, of the inmates in the jail, of the people on the streets, and against unnecessary lawsuits," he said in July.

Campbell said he wants to use Sheriff's Department substations in Kochville Township, Blumfield Township, Chesaning and St. Charles as law enforcement outposts.

Today, deputies use the office for Wi-Fi access when they need to file reports over the Internet using their laptop computers, he said. Campbell wants to station law enforcers at the posts.

"That's going to help the response time," he said. "It would save on gas, too."

Campbell said he wants to get input from department staff before offering ideas on policy changes.